Transcript Ch.2 PowerPoint

Psychology
in Action
Chapter 2: Neuroscience &
Biological Foundations
Neural Bases of Psychology

Neuroscience:
interdisciplinary field studying how
biological processes relate to
behavioral & mental processes
Neural Bases of Psychology (Continued)

Our nervous
system consists
of neurons (cells
responsible for
receiving &
transmitting
electrochemical
information).
Neural Bases of Psychology:
The Structure of a Neuron
Neural Bases of Psychology:
Applying Psychology to Everyday Life

Key neurotransmitters:
•
Serotonin
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Dopamine (DA)
Norepinephrine (NE)
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
GABA (gamma aminobutyric
acid)
Endorphins
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nervous System Organization

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Central Nervous System (CNS):
brain & spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System
(PNS): all nerves & neurons
connecting CNS to the rest of the
body
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PNS is subdivided into the somatic
& autonomic nervous systems
Autonomic nervous system
subdivided into sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems
Nervous System Organization:
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Brain
 Spinal Cord
(transmits
information
into & out of
the brain )

Nervous System Organization: Central
Nervous System (CNS)

The spinal cord
is also
responsible for
involuntary,
automatic
behaviors
called reflexes.
Nervous System Organization:
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

PNS connects CNS to the rest of the body & is
subdivided into:
 Somatic Nervous System (SNS): connects to
sensory receptors & controls skeletal muscles

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): controls
involuntary bodily functions & is further
subdivided into:
Sympathetic Nervous System (arouses)
Parasympathetic Nervous System
(calms)
Nervous System Organization
Actions & functions
of the Sympathetic
(arouses) &
Parasympathetic
(calms) Nervous
Systems:
A Tour Through the Brain
A Tour Through The Brain: Hindbrain

Three key structures & functions of
the hindbrain:
 Medulla: life survival functions
 Pons: respiration, movement, waking,
sleeping, & dreaming
 Cerebellum: coordination of fine
muscular movement, balance, & some
aspects of perception & cognition
A Tour Through The Brain (Continued)

Midbrain: collection of brain structures
in the middle of the brain; coordinates
movement patterns, sleep, & arousal

Reticular Formation: runs through the
hindbrain, midbrain, & brainstem;
screens incoming information &
controls arousal
A Tour Through The Brain (Continued)

Forebrain: collection of upper-level
brain structures, including the thalamus,
hypothalamus, & limbic system
 Thalamus: relays sensory messages to
the cerebral cortex
 Hypothalamus: responsible for drives,
hormones, & regulating the body’s
internal environment
Structures of the Forebrain
A Tour Through The Brain (Continued)

Limbic System:
interconnected
group of forebrain
structures involved
with emotions,
drives, & memory
Case Study: Terri Schiavo
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1990, at the age of 26, Terri suffered a cardiac
incident that left her neurologically damaged
due to lack of oxygen to the brain
Her husband and some of her doctors argued
that she was in a persistent vegetative state and
demonstrated no higher level brain function
Her parents argued that her ability to respond
emotionally to her parents at times and breath
on her own was “proof of life”
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Her husband took the case to the highest
courts in the US where the judge
determined that she was indeed in a
persistent vegetative state with no chance
of recovery
Her feeding tube was removed and she
died in 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrQ3tIabvM
What are your thoughts?
 Do you think there was sufficient proof to
keep Terri alive?
 At what point do you feel that lack of brain
function supercedes life?
 Is “awareness” enough to say that a person
is still functioning?
A Tour Through The Brain:
Cerebral Cortex

Cerebral Cortex:
thin surface layer on
the left & right cerebral
hemispheres;
regulates most
complex behavior,
including sensations,
motor control, &
higher mental
processes
A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of
the Cerebral Cortex (Continued)
A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of
the Cerebral Cortex

Frontal Lobes: receive
& coordinate messages
from other lobes;
responsible for motor
control, speech
production, & higher
functions, such as
thinking, personality,
emotion, & memory
Case Study: Phineas Gage
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1848 – a miner by the name
of Phineas Gage had a 13
pound, 3.5 foot long iron rod
blown through his frontal
lobes.
How did this affect his short& long-term behavior &
mental processes?
A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of
the Cerebral Cortex (Continued)
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Parietal Lobes: located at
the top of the brain directly
behind the frontal lobes;
responsible for interpreting
bodily sensations
Temporal Lobes: located
on each side of the brain
above the ears; responsible
for audition, language
comprehension, memory, & some
emotional control
A Tour Through The Brain: Lobes of
the Cerebral Cortex (Continued)
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Occipital
Lobes:
located at the
back of the
brain;
responsible for
vision & visual
perception
A Tour Through The Brain:
Lateralization

The left & right
hemispheres of your
brain each specialize
in particular (but often
overlapping)
operations.
Our Genetic Inheritance
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Behavioral Genetics: studies the relative
effects of nature (heredity, genes, &
chromosomes) & nurture (environment) on
behavior & mental processes
Remember: As we learned in our last unit,
the biopsychosocial perspective says there
are multiple forces at work

Are both nature and nurture at work in
explaining human behavior?
Our Genetic Inheritance: Genes & DNA

The nucleus of every cell contains genes, which
carry the code for hereditary transmission. These
genes are arranged along chromosomes

Two Major Types: Dominant and Recessive Genes
 Need only one dominant but two recessives for a gene
 Traits are controlled by multiple genes
 Ex. Brunette hair color is considered dominant, blond is
considered recessive = child more likely to have brunette
hair

Fortunately, most serious genetic disorders are not
transmitted through a dominant gene – can you guess
why?